Derasha 2 on Bereishis 1:2

TT #11 · Parashas Bereishis · First Aliyah · Passuk 2

Complete Passuk

וְהָאָ֗רֶץ הָיְתָ֥ה תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ וְחֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י תְה֑וֹם וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם׃

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT points to Chagigah 12a–b (verified).

E-Daf image (Chagigah 12a)

Core Text

Core Textתַּנְיָא, תֹּהוּ — קוֹ יָרוֹק הַמַּקִּיף אֶת כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ יָצָא חֹשֶׁךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״יָשֶׁת חֹשֶׁךְ סִתְרוֹ סְבִיבוֹתָיו״. בֹּהוּ — אֵלּוּ אֲבָנִים הַמְשֻׁלָּמוֹת הַמְשֻׁקָּעוֹת בַּתְּהוֹם שֶׁמֵּהֶן יוֹצְאִים מַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וְנָטָה עָלֶיהָ קַו תֹּהוּ וְאַבְנֵי בֹהוּ״.
English of Core Text: It was taught: Tohu is a green line that surrounds the whole world and from which darkness issues, as it is said “He made darkness His hiding-place, His canopy around Him.” Bohu — these are the polished stones sunk in the deep from which water issues, as it is said “He will stretch over it the line of tohu and the stones of bohu.”
On the daf / in context: Still within the enumeration of first-day creations, the Gemara (and the baraita) define the enigmatic terms tohu and bohu with concrete cosmological images drawn from parallel verses.
Type of Learning: Custom (definition of tohu and bohu)
What Is Learned: Tohu and bohu are not mere emptiness; they are specific created entities associated with darkness and the deep.